Golf

Bona Surges To Second-Place Finish in Final Day at Matthews Auto Intercollegiate

Senior Brent Morgan took his fifth top-20 finish of the year to lead the Bonnies in Myrtle Beach. (Photo: Scott Eddy)

Posted: Oct 01, 2018

ON THE TEE

St. Bonaventure's final round 287 was the third-best round of the tournament and best by any team not named Binghamton, which won its host event after rounds of 277 and 285

The Bonnies have finished top-two in this event three straight years including wins the last two seasons

Bona's 3.20 average team score on par-3s was the best in the field during the week and its 4.08 average on par-4s was behind only Binghamton

Senior Brent Morgan played the par-4s in 3-under for the week for his fourth top-15 finish in five events this fall

APALACHIN, N.Y. – A strong back nine on the final day helped the St. Bonaventure golf team surge up the leaderboard and to a second-place finish Monday at the Matthews Auto Intercollegiate outside Binghamton.

St. Bonaventure recorded a final round 287 team score on The Links at Hiawatha Landing, finishing at 580 for the tournament to tie for second along with Longwood (289-291/580). Host Binghamton raced to victory with a 562 team score, ending the Bonnies' reign of back-to-back championships in the event. Robert Morris (584) and Columbia (585) rounded out the top five in the field of 16 teams.

Teammates Danny Gianniny and Brent Morgan showed the way for the Bonnies and each had standout closing rounds, both finishing tied for 11th overall on the individual leaderboard.

Gianniny (73-71/144) finished the tournament at even par for the week, sinking three birdies on Monday through the 7,159-yard layout for a 1-under 71 to cap the tournament.

Morgan (74-70/144), meanwhile, was just a couple of wayward swings away from challenging for medalist honors. In Monday's final round, a triple-bogey on the par-3 sixth was the only blemish on his card as he recorded birdies at the fourth, 11th and 17th and drained an eagle putt on the 18th for a 2-under 70 including a 4-under 32 on the back nine. In the opening round Sunday, he played the front in 2-under but a double bogey on the final hole forced him to settle for 74.

Jack Geise (74-73/147) and Zach Chaddock (74-73/147) carded mirroring rounds both days in solid work for the Brown and White. Matt Abendroth finished with a 77 on Monday to post 149 for the tournament.

The Bonnies will take their roster just a bit further east to play Siena in the second annual Murray Cup at Schuyler Meadows Country Club outside Albany in the penultimate event of the fall Tuesday morning. St. Bonaventure will look to defend its crown after winning the inaugural competition last season.

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